Hello GoGetters

Sorry if my written English is confusing, I'm not a native speaker. I'll try to make it simple and without many analysing and mental masturbation.

A little bit about my history:
Never had much drive, always procrastinating. Thinking too much, doing too little. Perfectionist, but rarely do what is required.
Had existential crisis 4-5 years ago while studying theology at university. My beliefs gradually changed, become nihilistic, which led to depression. I've been feeling depressed on and off since then.
Eventually I quit theology studies, worked as a waiter, started sports and physical education studies, currently in 2nd year.

I consider depression to be a mechanism telling you something's wrong in your thinking and behaviour and needs to be changed. Joined this place to stay accountable, and gain some momentum in life.

My No1 goal is to be financially independent, as I currently depend on my mom.
My idea is to become a personal trainer. The main reason is that I'm interested in weight lifting and nutrition, and think that I have potential to be in the top 1-5% ( or whatever % is required to be successful) in that field. I gain muscles easily and enjoy exercise science.

The other two goals are related to that:

No2: study 2-3h a day for my school, which is almost all related to my future career anyway.

No3: eat and lift, this one is easy, doesn't require much planing and thinking as I've already done it successfully.

I haven't been lifting for three or four months, so I'm not that fit at the moment.

This is my idea of what should be done, so let's consider it together and I'll appereciate some help in lining up a plan:

1) find a job as a waiter for a couple of months while I'm regaining my physique. Earning some money will definitely make me feel less shitty
2) study 2-3h a day for Uni
3) start lifting 3xweek, calculate kcal requirements and be in surplus of around 2000kcal weekly.

After lets say 3 months I'll actively start to search for a job in gym as a trainer. The plan is to eventually become a freelancer when I gain enough experience, but lets leave that for later when these first steps are successfully done.

My questions would be: have you researched the demand in that market? For instance, where are personal trainers earning the highest rates, what is allowing some personal trainers to get more work and at higher rates, which clients are they targeting, what is your plan to get to that level, etc.

For instance, you could start establishing a personal brand online, via Youtube / Instagram etc, providing video lessons, and so on. If you can restore the physique in that image, you have more than enough to be classified 'legit' on online media if you can also come across as an expert.

Establishing some form of a personal brand & reputation is the strongest path to becoming a freelancer who earns a good rate. For example, I'm sure the Youtuber Elliot Hulse earns very well.

Welcome @mikimica, it sounds like your goals are on point, good to have another member!

For your first goal, getting a job to support yourself, would it be possible to look for something more connected to your overall goal of becoming a personal trainer? I know it's just meant to get you money but I imagine it would feel even better if you were making money AND making progress on your long term career. That would be dependant on you living near a couple of gyms/leisure centres and positions being open though...

I second @James suggestion to start establishing a personal brand even if it's just posting clips of your own lifts/workouts on instagram to begin with, if you are looking to take on clients then it's going to show you are serious and competent if you have months and months of short clips and photos showing off your abilities.

also yeah if you have any advice for starting out lifting It would be very welcome

100% get that physique back and take some professional photos, that will help with boosting your personal training.

Building a youtube channel in fitness is hard, but with a decent physique and good advice, you will get a decent following. Will help you boost your social media and website where you can sell off your workout plans/Skype consultations.

Fuck it took me forever to write this, and I still haven't cleared my thoughts.
First thank you all for welcoming me and great ideas

By the way, should this be moved to some different brainstorming topic? If so, please correct me.

Online presence (instagram, youtube, website) is definitely must, it's like you don't exist if you're not online. My own idea also, is to make instagram as soon as possible. I'll need some time, probably couple of months to get my physique and strength back, so I can make some content out of it (pics, professional photoshooting, lifting videos), and then continue to build it.

For a youtube channel and a website, I feel like I need some more experience and insights from training real life people. You know, to be confident in my own philosophy and that it definitely works for others as well.

On the other side, this Romanian dude that @Tom posted, has some pretty impressive following despite not being anything I consider obligatory for a "fitness expert".

@Jack
Will definitely type you some advice later today.
I might as well start looking for a fitness related job. I don't know what's the best option. Maybe to take anything at the moment, cause waiter job is easier to find, while I'm regaining my physique, strength and confidence.
I don't know how much will I have to wait to land a gym job. There are also two ideas about that. One is to wait for applications to be opened, and the another one is to send cv's anyway, or even go present yourself, as one gym owner told me to do.

@James
Targets are corporate employees who work a lot, earn a lot and would rather pay an expert to help them with fitness related goals and to keep them accountable. Also women of all kinds, who are insecure about looks.
The best way to reach them is word of mouth/recommendations and having online presentation with a lot of before and after pics of your clients. And of course your own physique is an advertisement and proof that you walk the walk. Some articles, maybe videos which show that you know how to speak (that you're not an autistic bodybuilder)

I guess the idea is to start working at a gym and slowly make a base of results, before and after pics (with measurements and everything), even take several people to train for free (friends, their friends). Make some content so I have something to market myself with.

Hello people,
My idea is to become a personal trainer. The main reason is that I'm interested in weight lifting and nutrition, and think that I have potential to be in the top 1-5% ( or whatever % is required to be successful) in that field. I gain muscles easily and enjoy exercise science.View attachment 4

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Welcome mikimica,

The best way to get clients is to teach group classes. If you kick their asses and have post-workout talks with some of the students, within a couple of months you will start creating contacts. My friend started that way and now he does flash workouts at the park with five or six clients he met at the gyms facility(which he does not own), solid cash, but it took a bit of time to build that network and trust.

Ok, I tried to make timetable with steps and deadlines. It looks like this:

Find job as a waiter for two-three months. If some gym is in search for an employee will definitely apply immediately.
-what needs to be done: ask 5-10 friends/former colleagues if they know place that needs waiter. Supplement that with newspaper/online employment ads.

Three months of lifing and eating in small surplus + creatine monohydrate will gain me about 5 kg of muscle mass.
-Start lifting 3x week and eating (my bw in lbs x 16kcal).

Then in April (when my physique is solid) I will be ready to start:
-taking photos, lifting videos, schedule pro shooting.
-make instagram account
-actively applying at gyms/fitness centers. (Send CV/go present myself at 10 places I would like to work at , for example.)

When I get a job:
-find people to train (for free if needed, spam friends etc.) and make before and after pics

Goal 1: put it in 'Money'. Goal will be to get a job (by a date you decide). Action will be the things you mentioned.

Goal 2: put it in 'Fitness'. Goal should be something numerical (e.g. bodyfat percentage, body weight, or a one-rep max etc). Action will be the things you mentioned (also you could mention how many sets you plan to do per session).

Welcome @mikimica, it's great to see that there's a small selection of active members on this forum now.

Nice plan, I do however believe you can begin planting some seeds to spring your online presence into action by the time you've arrived at the physique you deem suitable for modelling pictures.

For example, you can begin messaging Instagram accounts, small-time YouTubers, and try affiliating yourself with them through expressing your passion for the lifestyle and showing your past evidence. Furthermore, you can create an Instagram account right now and, I dunno, have something regarding your journey as you progress to the desired aesthetic. Perhaps a blog (look into Wordpress), a vlog (YouTube), or a Facebook page. Whatever it is man, you can start sewing those seeds off the bat.